DESIGN
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Sales director Mehmood Pirbhai talks about the latest CIMC trends, bringing fashion into the home.
Woodland Heritage shares its support for the Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design exhibition.
Co-founders of Bath Bespoke discuss the year so far with an outlook on what to expect in 2019.
9th NOVEMBER 2018 ÂŁ3.75 l
Cortina Living and Dining By Furniture To Go
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CABINET-MAKER.Co.UK 01223 846 825 PUBLIShER Stewart Rickersey stewart@cabinet-maker.co.uk EDIToR Dan Squires dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk PRE-PRESS PRoDUCTIoN Chris Randall production@cabinet-maker.co.uk SALES Sharon Rickersey Operations & Sales Manager sharon@cabinet-maker.co.uk Kacem Ellabbar kacem@cabinet-maker.co.uk Chris Manning chris@cabinet-maker.co.uk
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Last week’s call for more success stories across the furniture industry was indeed heeded as a flurry of further ‘feel good’ news appeared on my desk. And where better to start than independent furniture business Rodgers who recently announced the completion of its major refurbishment project, investing a substantial figure of £2m. Taking around three years to complete, the project oversaw an upgrade and redevelopment of their store in at Monks Cross in Yorkshire. This year was the final stage and involved the construction of a completely new store entrance and frontage, bringing the fresh look into the modern world of furniture retailing. Next up was another family business in the shape of Sussex Beds, which has submitted plans to expand its store in Bexhill that would see its current site completely redeveloped. The beds specialist has already gained support from its landlord with the plans now in the hands of the local council. All going well, the new store is expected to up and running by late 2020 so watch this space. Then there’s the upcoming January Furniture Show 2019. I’m sure we at Cabinet Maker will hear about plenty of new investments as momentum towards to show builds, with the first wave coming from bed manufacturer Shire Beds. It will be their first appearance at JFS with the business saying it will unveil ‘exciting new products’ to mark the occasion. In keeping with JFS, the event will also see the exclusive launch of a new
upholstery and bed range from Orla Kiely under a new collaboration with The Branded Furniture Company as its official license partner. Before the JFS hustle and bustle really kicks off, take a seat and have a read through this week’s editorial, which features the latest company developments at CIMC, the importance of being a sustainable business through a Q&A with Bath Bespoke and a recap of the latest Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design exhibition from Woodland Heritage, which features the best of British timber and design. Hoping to maintain this trend of positivity, do get in touch with your success stories. As November gets into full swing, the re-emergence of ‘Black Friday’ – or perhaps ‘Black November’ – comes to the forefront of the consumer. Is your business planning to take advantage of the ‘sale’ concept or is it becoming a hindrance on the Christmas trade that subsequently follows? Whatever way you look at it, early forecasts predict that Black Friday will generate doubledigit sales growth, led by online. IMRG say that £1.54bn will be spent online during Black Friday itself, an uptick of +13.2% on last year. Will furniture retailers experience any of this? Time will tell.
Dan Squires Editor
oN ThE CoVER CORTINA LIVING AND DINING BY FURNITURE TO GO
w www.furniture-to-go.co.uk
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INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE
ne w s
06
FEATURES ON TREND
22
Sales director Mehmood Pirbhai brings the world of fashion into the home as the latest CIMC trends are revealed.
A Great Exhibition
24
Woodland Heritage shares its support for the Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design exhibition.
Sustainable Source
26
Co-founders of Bath Bespoke discuss the year so far with an outlook on what to expect in 2019.
LAST WORD
30
David Jinks MILT, ParcelHero’s head of consumer research, has the Last Word.
24
22
26
|N E W S
NEWS IN BRIEF BED FIRM JoINS RETAIL winter Ball Bed manufacturer Harrison pARK Bed retail specialist Dreams has confirmed it will open a new store in Leicester. Dreams has secured a 10 year lease on a 5,000sq ft unit at St George’s Retail Park through UK Commercial Property REIT. The retail park has previously signed up a number of other furniture related businesses, which includes Laura Ashley, Tapi Carpets and Wren totalling an additional 24,000sq ft.
Spinks is to hold a black tie Northern Winter Ball next year in aid of The Furniture Makers’ Company. The event is taking place at 7pm on 7 February 2019 at Hornington Manor, a Grade II listed manor house and luxurious hotel venue that sits in the grounds of Harrison Spinks’ farm, where the company rears and grows the naturally sourced fillings for its beds.
MANUFACTURE
SWEDISH BED MAKER opENS NEW SHoWRooM Bed manufacturer Hästens has announced the opening of its new store in London. Officially launching on 6 November 2018, the new showroom is situated on Notting Hill Gate in Notting Hill. To mark the launch, Hästens has recently created two new colours to join its ‘Satin Pure’ collection. To celebrate the opening of the store there was a champagne and canapé reception, live music, as well as an installation by Veronica Hodges to celebrate 40 years of the iconic blue check. It will be the first space in the UK to showcase Hästens’ new ‘Sleep Spa’ concept, a design that uses music and lighting to create a harmonious atmosphere that will help the visitor truly relax. Removing all distractions, the design engages the senses to ensure that the only concern visitors have is finding the perfect bed. Speaking of the new showroom, Hästens’ global retail director, Ana Mladenovic, said: “Notting Hill was a natural choice for Hästens’ new showroom. Situated in the heart of leafy West London – a location famous for its colourful townhouses and market on Portobello Road – it is an iconic part of the city. The area is also the heart of the Capital’s interiors scene, with homeware shops selling everything you need to transform your home.”
w www.hastens.com Bring on the bubbly German kitchen manufacturer in the UK, Rotpunkt, has confirmed it is the sponsor of the Champagne Reception at this year’s prestigious EK&BBusiness Awards 2018. Taking place on 29 November 2018 at The Brewery, London, Rotpunkt will get the party started with an indulgent glass of bubbly before the winners are announced.
New chairman The British Contract Furnishing Association (BCFA) has announced the appointment of Lee Marvin as its new chairman. Lee, who is the managing director of Lugo Group Europe, succeeds Milan Cvetkovic after four years in the position. Having worked across the industry for over 25 years, Lee takes on the new role following his appointment as vice-chairman last year. 9th November 2018 | 06
NEW SToRE Furniture charity CT Furniture has announced the opening of its new retail store. The new outlet is situated on Albion Road Retail Park in Blyth and has created a number of jobs through its partnerships with Jobcentre Plus and local training providers. CT Furniture is part of the charity Community Transport.
On the road Fortune Woods has recently invested in a brand new show van, which is travelling around the country displaying a number of its ranges. The show van carries exciting new ranges along with existing ranges and gives customers the opportunity to examine the design, quality, and sizes of its furniture up close.
RETAIL
Interiors agency appoints new MD; revamps website Home and interiors marketing agency Amino Media has announced the appointment of Tala Monks as its new managing director. Tala joins the business with a background of creative roles with most previously being head of creative relations at a global advertising agency. The company has also announced the launch of its revamped website, www.amino-media.com, which features a ‘fresh new look’. Commenting on her appointment, Tala said: “I am really excited to be part of Amino Media and take it into its next chapter. This agency has 26 years of great reputation and I’m looking forward to building upon that. “With my global agency experience I am now able to bring to Amino Media clients the ability to benefit from the highly sophisticated marketing objectives and means that are employed to build and protect brands in targeted focused campaigns. “Our new website showcases this and shows just how marketing and consumers are evolving, so are we.”
w www.amino-media.com
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|news DESIGN
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ACID unveil two new council members
Bed manufacturer prepares for debut JFS appearance
Anti Copying in Design (ACID) has announced the appointment of two new Advisory Council members.
Bed manufacturer The Shire Bed Company will make its debut appearance at the 2019 January Furniture Show (JFS).
Mel Holliday, managing director of award-winning kitchen and furniture design company Chiselwood, and Fred McCaig, operations director of garden furniture designer and manufacturer Gaze Burvill have both been appointed to the ACID Advisory Council.
The Yorkshire-based bed manufacturer said it will unveil ‘exciting new products’ to mark the occasion.
Commenting on her appointment, Mel said: “Through ACID, we have built up a robust knowledge of our IP rights and have created a sound IP strategy against those who copy. I hope to work with ACID within our sector to encourage an ethos of IP respect, compliance, ethics and to help build an understanding that it is wrong to use our IP unlawfully.” Fred added: “One of the first aspects on which Gaze Burvill and ACID will work is having positive conversations with show organisers to create IP responsibility on all those who exhibit. ACID have had significant success with their ACID Accredited Show Organiser Scheme and we hope that we can develop this within the garden sector to bring IP ethics, respect and compliance into play.”
Shire’s stand will feature a mix of its collections including its boutique and regular high-end products, bed-in-a-box ranges as well as the Eco and Active mattresses. Its latest portfolio additions, Sleep8, which represents the next generation bed-in-a-box offer and Luminescent, an all-white Egyptian cotton collection will also be on display. Fara Butt, marketing director, The Shire Bed Company said: “We’re excited to exhibit at the JFS for the first time and are working hard to develop a new collection. The show presents us with an excellent opportunity to showcase our products to a wider audience and further network with existing and potential new customers.”
w www.shirebeds.co.uk
Dids Macdonald, OBE., ACID’s CEO said, on welcoming both members to the ACID Council: “Mel brings to the table the integrity of someone who has built her business with her husband Martin on honesty, originality and skilled craftsmanship. I very much look forward to working with her to improve IP awareness and understanding within the kitchen and bespoke furniture sector.
RETAIL
“Fred McCaig brings a keen awareness of IP to our Council and is determined to influence not only the garden sector but our Council on strategies to change the culture that it appears to be OK to produce lookalikes of original designs. Gaze Burvill are active members of ACID and, following an Intellectual Property Strategy Review, have created a robust and proactive intellectual property (IP) strategy.
Family business Sussex Beds has earmarked plans to expand its store in Bexhill that would see its current site completely redeveloped.
“The ACID Council is a guiding influence on design and IP strategy now and for the future. The diversity of its membership ensures that all sector issues and IP interests are identified and represented. Mel brings a keen awareness of IP to our Council, sadly through her own experiences of being copied, but it is this knowledge which will help us better understand the challenges that she and others face within the sector.”
w www.acid.uk.com
RETAIL
Consumer confidence wavers Consumer confidence in the UK fell in October as big-ticket items remained positive despite a downturn. According to GfK’s latest findings, the Consumer Confidence Index decreased by one point to -10 in October 2018. The Major Purchase Index decreased by two points to +4 but was one point higher than October 2017, indicating that confidence in consumers wanting to buy big-ticket items including furniture had taken a knock.
w www.gfk.com 9th November 2018 | 08
Beds independent submits plans to expand
Detailed in a new planning application to Rother District Council, Sussex Beds wants to demolish its existing property on King Offa Way and build two new retail units on the site, which would expand its overall floor space. Sussex Beds, which has eight stores across the South East, confirmed that terms of the project have already been agreed through its landlord but needed permission from the council to proceed. It is likely that the plans are set to get the green light as a similar planning application was granted permission back in 2008 but expired in 2011. Steve Pickering, managing director at Sussex Beds, told Cabinet Maker: “Sussex Beds has been in discussions and communications with the landlord of our Bexhill store who is keen to redevelop our building and car park. The regeneration would include building a new 4,500sq ft modern unit within the current car parking area. The existing unit would then be demolished, another retail unit built and additional car parking created. “Terms between ourselves and the landlord have been agreed, however, this is will all depend on planning and consent. If permission is granted, developments would start mid-2019 and completion of the new unit anticipated early 2020. Total completion would be expected for late 2020.”
w www.sussexbedcentre.co.uk
aQO RETAIL
Yorkshire business completes major £2m store refurb Family furniture business Rodgers has announced the completion of its major refurbishment project. Rodgers, which is situated at Monks Cross, has completed its 3-year £2m investment project by upgrading and redeveloping their store, which now offers an enhanced retailing environment. The refurbishment of the store began in 2015, with the introduction of a Tea Room. The same year saw the incorporation of Rodgers’ former on-site warehouse building into the main part of the store, to add some 20,000sq ft of extra space. The final stage of the project was launched in 2018 and involved the construction of a completely new store entrance and frontage, bringing a light, spacious feel to the shop floor and a reconfiguration of the sales areas. The car park area has also been enhanced, with additional designated disabled and family parking bays. William Browne, director, said: “We have worked in close partnership with our architects and construction team, many of them locally based businesses, to create a whole new retailing experience for our customers. “Every department has benefited from these changes, and the difference is striking, from the moment you enter the store. For example, new LED lighting installations give greater clarity and true to life colour to fabrics and finishes in our furniture and furnishing ranges. This means customers can get a true impression of how these will look in their own homes.” James Browne, co-director, added: “We are totally committed to bringing the very best brands and ranges to people in the area, and, by ensuring that our store is exceptional in every way, we are able to attract and stock the world’s leading designers of furniture, furnishings and accessories.”
w www.rodgersofyork.co.uk
MANUFACTURE
bedding maker enters administration Boston-based bedding manufacturer Fogarty has blamed the hot weather and a lack of orders in the build up to its demise. Fogarty, which dates back to 1826, was placed into administration on 29 October 2018 after the appointment of Eddie Williams, Jon Roden and Sarah O’Toole of Grant Thornton UK LLP. The administrators are said to be concentrating on selling the business assets and confirmed that 185 staff have been made redundant from its 210 workforce. In a press statement from administrators, it revealed that the business had suffered from a lack of orders and that the hot summer, retail difficulties and the loss of a key customer – understood to be Dunelm – had impacted the businesses cash flow and would be ‘heavily loss making over the coming months’.
w www.grantthornton.co.uk 9th November 2018 | 09
|news MANUFACTURE
RETAIL
Pre-reg JFS visitor numbers at record level
Restructuring plan begins to take effect at carpet retailer
Organisers of the January Furniture Show have revealed that the number of pre-registered visitors for the 2019 event is at a record level. Up by 50% for the equivalent time last year, which itself was a record, the show takes place from 20-23 January 2019 at the NEC in Birmingham. Accessory buyers will have more choice in 2019 as the amount of space in Hall 3 dedicated to interior furnishings is increased by 20%. Some returning exhibitors including Gallery Direct have increased the size of their stands and new exhibitors include Hill Interiors, McGowan Rutherford and Collier & Dobson. Speaking of the rise Cleere Scamell, show director, said: “Seeing the escalation in the number of pre registered visitors is terrific news. It proves that the word is truly out about what a great show for the industry the January Furniture Show is. Having so many buyers eager to see what is new already, confirms that we have got the right exhibitors who present the right products to enthusiastic buyers, and in a formula that works for everybody.”
Flooring and beds retailer Carpetright has confirmed that its restructuring plan is ‘firmly on track’ as performance remained negative. According to its latest trading update for the 26 week period ended 27 October 2018, like-for-like sales were in negative territory during the second part of the period, although outlined an ‘improvement in the trend’, as the restructuring activity began to take effect. Carpetright said that the first part of the period was heavily impacted by disruption caused by the Group’s restructuring process, during which a total of 67 underperforming stores were closed, with 65 in the UK and two in Europe. The retailer added that a further six stores are expected to close prior to the end of December 2018, whilst ‘remaining confident’ of achieving the £19m of annualised benefits as part of the recapitalisation of the Group.
“Feedback from our exhibitors and buyers is invaluable to us. There were clear messages at the end of the 2018 show – more beds, a really good lighting offering and more space for interior furnishings. We listened to that and want to make the show what the industry wants it to be. We firmly believe that the 2019 event will be the best yet and will deliver excellent results for our hard working exhibitors and keen buyers.”
Trading across the Rest of Europe (The Netherlands, Belgium and the Republic of Ireland) was slightly ahead of the same period last year.
w www.januaryfurnitureshow.com
MANUFACTURE
RETAIL
New upholstery and beds range to launch at JFS
UK profit down at French furniture retailer The UK division of French high-end furniture retailer Roche Bobois has reported a decline in both turnover and profit. According to its latest filed accounts for its UK subsidiary to 31 December 2017, total sales fell 1.1% to £16.4m from £16.6m in 2016, marking a decline in turnover for a second year running. Gross profit increased 1.9% to £9.9m from £9.7m, whilst pre-tax profit resulted at £715,896, down by 27.1% compared to its profit of £982,627. This was also the second straight year of reduced pre-tax profit as well as its lowest bottom line figure recorded since 2009 when profit stood at £389,027. Stated within its report, the company said that its decrease it sales was not significant due to the rise in gross profit and that despite unfavourable currency rates, costs were controlled. The business added that the UK has been ‘another challenging year’ for retail but remained optimistic for the year ahead. Parisian-based Roche Bobois operates from 255 showrooms across the world, including an estate of 87 in France and eight in the UK, mainly in London with one in Manchester.
w www.roche-bobois.com 9th November 2018 | 10
w www.carpetright.co.uk
Interior designer Orla Kiely has announced the launch of its new upholstery and beds range. Orla Kiely has appointed The Branded Furniture Company as its official license partner, with the new range of upholstery and beds to be exclusively showcased to trade at the January Furniture Show next year. During the event, the team will be looking to partner with a select number of premium retailers ready to launch the products in store for Summer 2019. Designed and manufactured to order in the UK, the furniture will feature the brand’s iconic patterns and branding. The range features a mix of pattern, colour, and texture in fabrics such as boucle, wool blends and velvet. Commenting on the license partnership, The Branded Furniture Company said: “We are extremely excited to be working with Orla and her team on this unique product launch, Orla’s iconic patterns and signature style have contributed to a furniture collection that we know will brighten homes and put a smile on your face. “We are thrilled to be an official Orla Kiely license partner, launching a new product category for the brand.”
w www.orlakiely.com
aQO RETAIL
MANUFACTURE
Independent furniture business secures funding to expand
Upholstery manufacturer narrows losses as sales grow
Independent furniture and beds retailer Star Furnishings has acquired its property after securing funding.
Italian leather upholstery manufacturer Natuzzi has reported a growth within its UK division as losses narrowed.
The Cardiff-based family business secured a £350,000 funding package from NatWest bank to purchase its property on City Road.
According to Natuzzi Services Limited’s latest filed accounts for the year ended 31 December 2017, total UK sales rose 10.1% to £8.4m from £7.6m in 2016.
Star Furnishings, which has been established since 2009, said that owing its store would help reduce overheads and allow the business to focus on its services rather than relocate to other rented locations.
Gross profit remained static at £4m, whilst pre-tax losses resulted at £1.4m, down from a loss of £1.9m the previous year.
The businesses new property has expanded its floor space by 4,300sq ft, which is aimed to improve stock holding capabilities, whilst the company also has plans to expand further by launching a manufacturing division over the next two years. Star Furnishings specialises in furniture products as well as supplying fit out services to local student accommodation agents.
w www.starfurnishing.co.uk
Stated within its report, Natuzzi said that its sales performances across the company’s retail footprint was mixed with a strong increase of 19.3% in store sales offset by a reduction in the House of Fraser concessions sales performance, which fell by 15.5%. During the year, Natuzzi transferred the Trafford Centre store to a third party management, whilst also deciding to close the House of Fraser concession in Bluewater. The company added that its development of the ‘Natuzzi Italia’ brand within the UK has continued with the launch of four new franchise stores, with this momentum expected to continue.
w www.natuzzi.co.uk
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9th November 2018 | 11
|news RETAIL
MANUFACTURE
Retailer to relaunch this month
Details behind manufacturer collapse
Furniture retailer AHF has confirmed that its takeover of independent business Nasons of Canterbury will see the store reopen in time for Black Friday.
A lack of customer support, increasing costs and a decline in performance all contributed to the downfall of furniture manufacturer The Quality Furniture Company.
September saw the closure of Nason’s department store in the city centre after 90 years of retailing and also the furniture shop in Wincheap following difficult trading conditions.
Detailed in new documents filed on Companies House, the business suffered a decline in revenue, consolidation of operations, a fire on inbound delivery of sewn covers impacting production output and increased costs leading to its administration.
After a swift deal signed just this week, Nasons has now become a part of the AHF Group – an independent furniture retailer with 19 shops across England. The Wincheap furniture shop on Maynard Road is currently undergoing a full refurbishment to modernise the showroom which is to be completed by the end of November. The new store will be designed to showcase a wide range of sofas, beds, dining, living and bedroom furniture, with the Hammonds fitted furniture concession to remain inside the building and is expected to ‘complement the new range of furniture in the revamped Nasons showroom’. Previous owner, Andrew Nason, commented saying that he was “delighted that the Nasons name and legacy will continue to live on and serve the locals of Canterbury as part of a larger group”. Talks are expected to take place between new owners AHF and the former Nasons staff in order to provide job opportunities where possible. Matt Hesketh, AHF managing director, said: “I am overjoyed to welcome Nasons into the AHF Group and extend our fantastic furniture offering into the prosperous city of Canterbury. We hope the local public are excited to see what we have to offer them.”
w www.ahf.co.uk/nasons
MANUFACTURE
Kitchen firm grows turnover past £50m Kitchen furniture manufacturer Commodore has reported a fourth straight year of turnover growth as sales climbed past the £50m milestone. According to its latest filed accounts for the year ended 31 December 2017, total sales rose 9.3% to £51.6m from £47.2m during a 15-month period ended 2016. Gross profit fell slightly by 5% to £12.6m from £13.4m, whilst its bottom line remained strong with pre-tax profit resulting at £5.7m, 4.9% down from £6m last year. Stated within its report, Commodore said that its sales growth has been a result of increased output from existing clients. The company added that during the year it had completed the strengthening of its management team with the addition of a finance director. Looking ahead, the priority has shifted to delivering key internal projects as well as maintaining service levels and streamlining operations.
w www.commodorekitchens.co.uk 9th November 2018 | 12
Chris Pole and Mark Orton, both from KPMG Restructuring, were appointed joint administrators of QFC on 2 August 2018 and confirmed it closed on 12 October 2018 with a loss of 160 jobs. Stated within its administrators report, QFC saw like-for-like sales decline during the summer of 2018, which had a negative impact on cash flow along with an increased number of credits issued for quality. The business did receive some support from main customers, although this was only short term with the majority indicating that they would source volume elsewhere in the future. QFC also attempted to take back occupancy at its previous site at Swingbridge Road at the expiry of the leaseback period at Alma Park Road, but this proved to be to expensive following significant increases in rent. After not being able to secure a sale or refinancing options, QFC was placed into administration owing unsecured creditors a total of £4.4m, with the majority being owed to trade creditors at a value of £3.5m. The report indicated that £1.5m was expected to be raised through the sale of company assets (from a book value of £4.8m) with £1.4m expected to be available for creditors, leaving a total shortfall of £2.9m. Trade creditors owed significant sums included Carpenter Limited, owed £412,740, Clinchplain, owed £273,244, and United Fillings, owed £552,837.
w www.gov.co.uk
MANUFACTURE
Furniture manufacturer hosts open event Cabinet manufacturer and teak specialist Nathan Furniture has confirmed it will host an open event for buyers and retailers. Situated at Charltons Furniture Outlet on Westfield Industrial Estate in Radstock the event will last for the next two weeks. The event will showcase items in the Nathan, Sutcliffe and Charlton brands, including new ranges Palma, Oslo and Contour. Nicholas Radford, Nathan managing director, said: “There has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes at Nathan recently, with improvements to our production and new range ideas. “We now have more flexibility in how we’re able to produce items so they can be more tailored to a buyer’s needs. We always welcome feedback to help shape our new ranges.”
w www.nathanfurniture.co.uk
aQO RETAIL
MANUFACTURE
Upholstery retailer to take up vacant concessions
Bed manufacturer extends rugby partnership
Upholstery retailer Sofa.com has confirmed it will open a number of concessions in House of Fraser. Sofa.com will take up to eight concessions in House of Fraser stores that will replace ScS following its exit previously announced earlier this month. ScS said it would exit all 27 of its House of Fraser concessions by the end of January, with Sofa.com also revealing that it is still in talks with House of Fraser to expand into more concessions during next year – although a total number was not revealed. The eight stores that Sofa.com has taken up a House of Fraser concession includes Bluewater, Reading, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, Victoria, Bristol and Norwich. In a press statement, Richard Holmes, CEO of Sofa.com, said that it hopes the move into more physical space ‘will bring more customers’. A spokesperson for Sofa.com confirmed the news the Cabinet Maker: “We are excited about our relationship with House of Fraser and will have opened eight concessions by the end of this week. We continue to have conversations with House of Fraser and look forward to expanding with more stores next year.”
w www.sofa.com
Bed brand, Sealy UK, has announced a new partnership deal with 2018 BETFRED Super League Champions, Wigan Warriors. Following two hugely successful years, Sealy UK is set to extend its partnership with the decorated club which will see the bed manufacturer remaining official kit sponsors and an Official Major Club Partner into the 2019 season. Sealy UK will also continue in its unique role as the team’s ‘Official Sleep Partner’, working closely with players and the club’s High Performance staff to ensure their rest and recovery needs are met. Continuing to strengthen its relationship with the club, its partners and its fans, Sealy UK will be once again delivering a programme of activation events throughout the year. Neil Robinson, sales and marketing director at Sealy UK, said: “After another great year working with the Wigan Warriors we are delighted to be extending our partnership with the club for another year. “It is fantastic to be able to work with a partner that is so closely aligned to our values and we’re looking forward to seeing what the next year brings, as well as working in partnership with the Wigan Warriors to launch another series of exciting activation events that will engage players and fans alike.”
w www.sealy.co.uk
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Swedish kitchen group to implement cost reduction programme Swedish kitchen manufacturing group Nobia has reported a growth in UK retail sales although was not enough to offset a lower contract sector. Nobia, which operates in the UK under its Magnet brand, stated that overall UK sales during its third quarter were down by 9% despite a third consecutive quarter of double-digit growth within its Magnet Retail segment. In a statement, Morten Falkenberg, president and CEO, commented: “In the UK, there is fierce price competition in the lower-end segments. Magnet Retail grew for the third consecutive quarter, backed by our successful new retail offering. However, that was not enough to compensate for the shortfall of project deliveries and lower B2B sales. “To improve profit generation, we will initiate a cost-reduction programme that will generate annual savings of SEK 100 million. “Due to uncertainties in our major markets we will initiate a costreduction programme to adjust the cost base and safeguard our profitability. This will be in addition to rectifying the operational issues that have affected the quarter. The programme will be initiated during the fourth quarter of 2018 and is expected to generate savings of SEK 80 million in 2019 and SEK 100 million per year from 2020.”
w www.nobia.com
Albany
Have you ordered the new Albany Electric Riser Recliner yet, as this is proving to be extremely popular? It is one of the softest, most comfortable Riser Recliners ever, with carefully designed three-pillow back , stylish wings and soft pillow arms. Offered in the full, extensive range of over 150 Soft Covers it is available in the usual four sizes from Petite to Royale, with a lower seat height on the Small size for those of shorter build.
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Telephone: 01274 882633 Fax: 01274 815129
sales@sherborne-uph.co.uk www.sherborneupholstery.co.uk
9th November 2018 | 13
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MANUFACTURE
Online retailer posts third quarter sales growth
Office furniture specialist continues to grow
Online home furnishings retailer Wayfair has reported an increase in sales during its third quarter. Detailed in its latest trading update ended 30 September 2018, total sales increased $511.2m to $1.7bn, up 43.3% year-over-year. International sales, including the UK, rose 57.5% to $232.4m from $147.5m. US sales, its core market, increased from $1bn to $1.4bn. Gross profit was $392.8m, up by 23%, whilst net losses widened to $151.7m from $76.4m against the same period last year.
w www.wayfair.co.uk
Office furniture manufacturer Verco has reported a second straight year of turnover growth. According to its latest filed accounts for the year ended 31 December 2017, total sales rose 3.2% to £12.6m from £12.2m in 2016. UK sales, its core market, experienced growth of 3.4% to £12.1m from £11.7m, with sales outside the UK spiking 13.2% to £580,624 from £512,383. Gross profit increased 2.2% to £4.5m from £4.4m, whilst pre-tax profit rose 12.8% to £526,160 compared to its profit of £466,260 the previous year.
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Stated within its report, the company said that its previous investment in its London office in Clerkenwell has contributed ‘significantly’ to the increase in turnover and is expected to continue to grow further as its profile in the capital expands.
Furniture retailer set to expand high street strategy
Within its current year, Verco said that 2018 had a ‘difficult start’ with ‘unexpected reduced levels in turnover’ during Q1. However, the second and third quarters have delivered growth to propel performance back in line with expectations.
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has reported a growth in UK sales as it increased its market share to 8.4%.
Furthermore, the company added that it is investing in new machinery to further improve and expand its mill operations.
According to its latest results for the financial year ending 31 August 2018, total UK & Ireland sales rose 5.9% to £1.965bn.
w www.verco.co.uk
Visitation continues to grow both in-stores and online with 59.8 million visitors to IKEA stores across the UK in FY18, an increase of +4.5% and 199.3 million visits to its website (+13.4%). Online sales grew by +14.4% and now represent 15.5% of total sales, with the company also growing its store estate by two to 21 across the UK. IKEA said that sales within its Home Decoration division rose 9%, whilst Living Room Seating increased by 8%. However, the leading category within the UK was outdoor living sales, up by 17%. The company added that its new city centre concept store in London is the first of an expansion plan to be located within more city centres throughout the UK. Javier Quinones, country retail manager IKEA UK & Ireland, said: “The way people live and shop is changing. “Globally in the future, over two thirds of people will live in cities, and today in the UK only 57% of people live within one hour travel time of an IKEA store. That is why we’re developing a new city centre approach, starting with London. “In October 2018 we opened the IKEA Planning Studio on Tottenham Court Road, our first high street location and the beginning of an exciting journey for IKEA in London. “Though the setting is new, some things remain. You’ll always meet our co-workers in the familiar yellow shirts, offering the home furnishing expertise we’re famous for.”
w
www.ikea.com
MANUFACTURE
Furniture specialist delivers record sales Healthcare and medical furniture manufacturer Renray has reported a return to sales growth as losses narrowed. According to its latest filed accounts for the year ended 31 December 2017, total sales rose 21.4% to £14.7m from £12.1m in 2016, marking its highest turnover since it was incorporated back in 2007. Gross profit increased 25.6% to £4.9m from £3.9m, whilst pre-tax losses resulted at £48,912, significantly reducing from its loss of £202,192 the previous year. Stated within is report, Renray said that its target was to return to turnover of over £14m after suffering a difficult previous year. The company invested over £250,000 during the year, which included the installation of a second CNC machine. The new machinery has doubled the businesses capacity to manufacture bedroom furniture, which is a result of increasing demand. The group is to continue its investment with a further £280,000 to be invested in new wagons to further improve turnover and customer service levels. Renray added that it did absorb some higher costs during the year, whilst experiencing a ‘very competitive’ healthcare market.
w www.renrayhealthcare.com 9th November 2018 | 14
aQO RETAIL
MANUFACTURE
Independent furniture business wins regional award
FURNITURE FITTINGS SpECIALIST FoRMS NEW pARTNERSHIp
Independent furniture and accessories business House of Grayling has been recognised with an award win.
Furniture fittings specialist Häfele has announced a new partnership with Slovenian-based manufacturer Gorenje.
House of Grayling, which is based in Nettlebed, won the ‘Best Rural Creative or Media-based Business’ at the Amazon Rural Business Awards in the South East region. The company, now in its fourth year of trading, will now represent the region at the national final, which takes place in February next year. Commenting on the accolade through social media, owner and director Penny Garvin said: “What a shock, an amazing and very unexpected feat. I feel incredibly proud that the hard work building my little business is finally gaining some recognition. “To anyone slogging their guts out to achieve a life goal, to succeed in a new business venture that allows you flexibility around your precious small people, sheer determination along with the love and support of positive friends and family that closely surround you, anything is possible. Just because you are a small business, it doesn’t mean you aren’t important.”
Under the partnership, Häfele has added a capsule collection of home appliances from leading manufacturer Gorenje to its extensive product portfolio. The collection includes products from Gorenje’s Essential and Superior lines and comprises cooking appliances, cooling appliances and built-in cleaning appliances. Steph Kerr, senior product manager, comments: “The introduction of our Gorenje collection is the latest step in providing our customers throughout the UK with easy access to high-quality, reliable and affordable products. “Gorenje also shares our belief in providing industry-leading service and is particularly renowned for its excellent after-sales support. The company’s commitment to excellence cements our partnership as a natural fit.”
w www.hafele.co.uk
w www.houseofgrayling.com
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Established in 1988, CIMC Ltd is a leading provider of furniture, lighting and accessories in the UK. Explore our new furniture and lighting collections for Autumn 2018. For further information visit our showroom or contact us on: 01162875288 www.CIMChome.com
9th November 2018 | 15
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BRC and ACS respond to business rates cut
US mattress manufacturer posts Q3 growth
The high street has been offered a lifeline after business rates are to be cut by a third. Announced in the Budget 2018, Philip Hammond has pledged £675m to create a ‘Future High Streets Fund’ to support councils to draw up plans for the transformation of their high streets. Business rates for small businesses will be cut by a third for two years in England with a rateable value of £51,000 and under. The cut in business rates will mean an annual saving of ‘up to 8,000 for up to 90% of all independent shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes’. The move is to offer some hope to businesses that have suffered by high rates, the consistent growth of online shopping and the decline in footfall. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) commented on the announcement: “We have long campaigned for changes to the rates system, and are pleased that the Chancellor has listened to the concerns of businesses by introducing a 1/3 discount to rates bills for small businesses that will save the convenience sector up to £50m over the next two years. “For local shops on high streets, operating costs are significantly higher, so we welcome additional funding for local authorities to support those businesses.” Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of the BRC, said: “The Government has missed a much-needed opportunity to help the retail industry. “While we welcome measures to assist smaller retailers, the majority of the UK’s 3.1 million retail workers are employed in businesses that will not benefit from today’s business rates announcement. “If the Government is to truly back business, it must engage in more extensive business rates reform to help all retailers and their employees through this period of transformation. “While we welcome the temporary support being given to small businesses, these measures alone are not sufficient to enable a successful reinvention of our high streets. “Retailers are currently in the midst of a perfect storm of factors – technology changing how people shop, rising public policy costs and softening demand. “Rather than tinkering around the edges, struggling high streets require wholesale reform of business rates in order to thrive. The issue remains that the business rates burden is simply too high. “Retailers welcome the measures announced by the Treasury to invest new funding to boost high streets and town centres and facilitate re-invention to modern and diverse destinations. “We await with interest further details of the plans, particularly around how the funding will be targeted, who will eligible and how quickly funds will be made available.”
w www.brc.org.uk
Global mattress giant Tempur Sealy has reported growth from both inside and outside its US market. According to its latest trading update for the third quarter ended 30 September 2018, total sales increased 2.5% to $729.5m as compared to $711.5m in 2017. International sales, which include the UK, increased 2.1% to $133.7m from $130.9m in the third quarter of 2017, whilst sales in North America increased 2.6% to $595.8m from $580.6m. The company recorded a pre-tax profit of $112.7m for the period, although compared to the same time last year it was down 1.5% from its profit of $114.4m. Scott Thompson, Tempur Sealy International, Inc. chairman and CEO said: “Our recent Tempur-Pedic and Sealy Hybrid product introductions have been the best-received in the company’s history, and have gained significant share in the marketplace. Tempur-Pedic mattress units accelerated during the quarter, with growth of 29% in North America. “The team is confident that the combination of these innovative new products, our expanding direct to consumer business, and our ongoing productivity initiatives will continue to enhance our world wide competitive position.”
w www.tempursealy.com
MANUFACTURE
New products to fuel future growth at fitted kitchens group Kitchen furniture group Mereway has reported a third straight year of turnover growth as profit falls again. According to its latest filed accounts for the year ended 31 December 2017, total sales rose 5.3% to £21.5m from £20.4m in 2016. Mereway achieved its highest sales since 2009 when turnover also generated over £21m. The group said that its Trend range sales increased 21% during the year and represented £7m of overall revenue. Gross profit declined 2.8% to £6.7m from £6.9m, whilst pretax profit resulted at £168,009, down by 58% from £403,282 recorded the previous year. The bottom line figure marked a second consecutive year of reduced profit. Stated within its report, Mereway said that despite a challenging year it maintained its commitment to invest in the development of new product ranges, which are expected to boost turnover moving forward. At the time of compiling its accounts, the group said that current trading is ‘marginally down on 2017 by 2.4%, although expectations for the final quarter of 2018 and through 2019 based on new product launches show strong growth’.
w www.mereway.co.uk 9th November 2018 | 16
TV STANDS & MEDIA UNITS aQO ARE MORE FUN THESE DAYS
Gaming, movies, internet… But sometimes it seems your equipment is taking over your home. Our TV stands and TV cabinets are there to cut the clutter and get things organised. It’s also handy to know that most of our TV units have cable outlets so you can keep the cables from your TV and other devices out of sight. Log on to our website today and see all the living collections at fantastic prices, and as always special display packages with 20% off full list price. All for next day delivery.
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9th November 2018 | 17
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homewares retailer grows turnover towards £900m
FLAMMABILITy STANDARD FoR US UpHoLSTERy GETS BACKING
Value homewares retail chain The Range has reported continued growth in turnover as sales surpassed the £800m milestone. According to CDS (Superstores International) Ltd, trading as The Range, latest filed accounts for the year ended 28 January 2018, total sales rose 13.7% to £869.1m from £763.8m in 2017. Gross profit also increased by 8.5% to £327.7m from £301.9m, whilst pre-tax profit resulted at £53.5m, down by 21% compared to its profit of £68.2m recorded last year. Detailed within its strategic report, The Range said that turnover increased in both existing and new stores, with 19 new locations added during the year as it continues its expansion programme. The Range, which operates from over 140 stores across the UK, added that it had completed the acquisition of shop fit-out business CDS Group Services Limited (an entity under common control) as it continues to reconstruct its wider group.
w www.therange.co.uk
MANUFACTURE
UK DELIvERS GRoWTH AT FLooRING GRoUp Kidderminster-based flooring group Victoria Plc has reported a growth in sales during the first half of 2018. According to its latest trading update for the six months ended 29 September 2018, total group like-for-like sales have continued to exceed 3% compared with the equivalent period during the prior year. Victoria said that its UK & EU segment has ‘achieved strong LFL revenue growth’ with its soft flooring division ‘taking advantage of market conditions’ with sales up by 5% as the group was able to focus on product mix, lower average selling prices and drive sales volumes. In hard flooring, Victoria confirmed it is ‘pleased’ with how its three acquisitions in the European ceramic tile market have performed in the last twelve months. Victoria added: “The sector has seen an increase in pricing pressure since the start of the financial year which, combined with the planned, but significant, one-off disruption from the installation of a new porcelain line at our Italian factory, has had a marginal impact on overall sales growth and margins.” The Australia segment, which represents 18% of pro-forma Group sales, has experienced slower performance in the year-to-date, with a circa 4% decline in sales against what was a very strong comparative period. Victoria concluded: “Based on year-to-date performance and taking into account seasonality, this is impacting the Group’s overall margin by approximately 1 - 1.5 percentage points versus consensus market forecasts, although margins are still expected to significantly exceed the prior year due to organic growth and product mix effects from previous acquisitions.”
w www.victoriaplc.com 9th November 2018 | 18
The US Senate has begun considering legislation to adopt a flammability standard for upholstered furniture. California’s 2013 Regulation, TB 117-2013, would become the federal standard across the US under the Safer Occupancy Furniture Flammability Act (S3551 or Soffa). TB 117-2013 outlines performance standards and methods for testing the smoulder resistance of cover fabrics, barrier materials, filling materials and decking materials used in upholstered furniture. It was endorsed by a broad coalition of stakeholders, including AHFA, BIFMA, firefighters, fire scientists, environmentalists, and consumer groups. For more than a decade, the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has been in a process to consider a national flammability standard for upholstered furniture. AHFA CEO Andy Counts, said in a statement: “By making TB 117-2013 a national standard, we can ensure that all upholstered residential furniture sold in the United States meets a rigorous fire safety threshold. SOFFA would mandate the best test methods and construction standards we have today but would not prohibit the CPSC from future rulemaking if new fire safety technologies become available.”
w www.senate.gov
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Exceptional costs impact losses General merchandise retailer Argos has reported a slight decline in turnover as losses widened. According to its latest filed accounts for the year ended 10 March 2018, total sales fell 2% to £4.1bn from £4.2bn in 2017. Like-forlike sales rose 1%, which was driven by electrical product sales. Pre-tax losses amounted to £145.3m compared to its loss of £25.m the previous year. This was due to further exceptional costs totalling £148.9m relating to the sale of Homebase and integration costs into its parent group, Sainsbury’s. Other costs incurred included customer redress on card fees and PPI, as well as a net impairment write back of £14.6m against amounts owned following a recapitalisation of its furniture brand subsidiary Habitat. During the year, net space decreased sales by 1.1% with the sore estate reducing due to the closure of Argos standalone stores and Homebase concessions offset by the opening of concessions in Sainsbury stores.
w www.argos.co.uk
aQO
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9th November 2018 | 19 A part of Slumberdream Group
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MANUFACTURE
NBF publish policy on mattress reuse
US office furniture group maintains momentum
The National Bed Federation (NBF) has published its first policy document on the use and sale of used mattresses, components and materials. The policy aims to provide guidance on best practice, based on current processes.
US-based office furniture specialist Knoll has continued 2018 momentum with third quarter growth.
Simultaneously the NBF, the trade association for UK manufacturers of mattresses and beds and their component suppliers, is also publishing a report commissioned earlier this year from environmental experts Oakdene Hollins, looking into recycling rates of mattresses by component part and announcing an ambitious goal of 75% diversion from landfill of old mattresses by 2028.
According to its third quarter trading update to 30 September 2018, total group sales rose 12.5% to $327.7m.
“Oakdene Hollins has been working with the NBF on measuring mattress recycling rates since 2014 but we realised breaking it down into component parts would give us more insights,” explained NBF president Tony Lisanti.
Net sales for the Lifestyle segment were $130.1m during the third quarter of 2018, an increase of 31.4%. This increase was primarily driven by the inclusion of three months of sales from Muuto as well as increased volume in its contract markets across all Lifestyle businesses.
The report indicates that of the currently estimated 15-20% of mattresses that are diverted from landfill to recyclers, 96% of spring units, 85% of foams, 42% and 31% of polyesters and woven textiles respectively and zero non wovens are being recycled, but it also confirms that both 4% of spring units and 5% of foam are being sold on for re-use - in many cases back to the bed trade - supporting the NBF’s belief that a policy was needed. Mr Lisanti continued: “Finding markets for the component parts of used mattresses is one of the challenges we need to overcome if we are to succeed in our goal of seeing 75% diverted from landfill by 2028. But the solutions must be acceptable to all concerned and certainly not deceive buyers or jeopardise their health and safety. We also felt clear guidance was needed to address the returns from today’s increasingly popular comfort trial guarantees.” The NBF policy attempts to address what the Federation believes should be a best practice approach with regard to fitness for purpose and compliance with health and safety requirements. The policy seeks, at the very least, for any re-usage of components to be clearly declared. The policy also proposes fillings that have gone through a remanufacturing process which involves appropriate cleaning, testing or mixing with other materials - and could hence be described as a new material - do not need to be identified as containing used components (unless the supplier deems it desirable from a marketing perspective!). The new policy will form part of the next phase of the NBF’s Code of Practice – which since its introduction in 2014 has included requirements for cleanliness of fillings. “We are simply extending the current policy to clarify its application to used spring units and used mattresses as well as fillings,” said Mr Lisanti. “Our goal is not to ban their re-use or resale – but to ensure it is done in a responsible way and with full transparency for the buyers of these products.” The NBF’s target of 75% diversion from landfill by 2028 has been proposed by the Federation’s Circular Economy Committee, after close consideration of the current recycling rates by the industry and local authorities. “Since we started measuring the rates of mattress recycling in 2014 we have seen the level fluctuate considerably, as companies capable of processing mattresses for recycling have come and gone” says Mr Lisanti.
w www.bedfed.org.uk 9th November 2018 | 20
Net sales for the Office segment were $197.6m during the third quarter of 2018, an increase of $5.4m, or 2.8% compared to 2017. Newer workplace platforms and ancillary products drove sales growth while legacy system sales remained flat.
The company reported net earnings of $20.3m compared to $19.1m recorded against the same period last year. Andrew Cogan, Knoll chairman, president and CEO, said: “The bold actions we’ve taken, from the acquisition of Muuto to the launch of new platforms like Rockwell Unscripted and the reorganisation and expansion of our selling capacity, have continued to enable us to respond to changing design trends and allocation of space within the workplace, penetrate faster growing ancillary categories and drive top line growth.”
w www.knoll.com
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Furnishings retailer edges back towards profitability The UK arm of global furnishings retailer Zara Home experienced a second straight year of turnover growth as losses narrowed. According to Zara Home’s latest filed accounts for the year ended 31 January 2018, total sales rose 16% to £20.7m from £17.8m in 2017. Gross profit increased 11.7% to £12.4m from £11.1m, whilst pretax losses reduced from £793,000 to a loss of £65,000. The last time the business recorded a profit was in 2016 at £2.1m. Stated within its report, Zara Home said that selling and distribution costs increased by 6.2%, reflecting the businesses continued refurbishment plan, which included large scale works in London Whitecity. Trading across 12 stores in the UK at close of business, Zara Home also revealed that it plans to open new stores when ‘suitable opportunities arise’. Zara Home UK is a subsidiary of Spanish fashion retail giant Inditex and specialises in the trading of soft furnishings and occasional furniture items.
w www.zarahome.com
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Upholstery retailer to invest in online platform
Furniture business expands
Upholstered furniture and flooring retailer ScS has revealed plans to invest in its website following another strong year of growth. Detailed in its latest full year report ended 28 July 2018, total sales online increased by 22.6% to £13.8m from £11.3m in 2017. Due to its continued success, ScS confirmed it will be strengthening its e-commerce division with a complete replatforming of the website in 2019 as well as a number of key appointments within its online and digital team. ScS said that this is expected to ‘greatly improve’ their customer’s experience through ‘increased speed and functionality, and dramatically improve the look and feel, in particular on mobile devices’. Commenting within the report, ScS added: “Online continues to be the fastest growing area of the business. Despite selling predominantly ‘big-ticket’ items, customers are becoming increasingly confident buying online and, whilst our average order value is typically lower than that in store, the increasing number of transactions shows that our continued investment in this space is achieving strong returns. “As well as the success of direct sales online, we know our website also offers an excellent catalogue and research tool for our customers. For many online only retailers, a customer leaving their website is the last time they’ll see them. “However, as we increasingly improve our integrated ‘bricks and clicks’ model, we are seeing more and more of our customers selecting a shortlist of products before they then come in to try them out, and ultimately make the sale in the store. Despite the continued industry-wide decrease in footfall, our customers are more engaged and are more likely to place an order with us, with a greater proportion of people coming into the store then placing an order than ever before, leading to increased store conversion. “The Group is committed to further investment in this area, and has therefore targeted achieving a market-leading website and online presence.”
w www.scs.co.uk
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Q3 as expected at Next
Northern Ireland-based independent furniture business Traynor Furnishings has announced the launch of its second store. Traynor Furnishings, which has been established since 2014 by owners and brothers Jason and Gary Traynor, has opened a new store on Union Place in Dungannon. The new 7,500sq ft store adds to its other store in Armagh and features beds, mattresses, sofas, dining furniture and home accessories. Following the launch, the business confirmed it is looking at other potential locations to expand further but remained focussed on its latest launch. Traynor Furnishings has also recently launched a new website, which currently acts as a display window for its stock.
w www.traynorfurnishings.co.uk
MANUFACTURE
Housing market impacts growth rate Kitchen furniture firm Rixonway has reported a second straight year of turnover growth. According to its latest filed accounts for the year ended 31 December 2017, total sales rose 9.4% to £35.9m from £32.8m in 2016. Raw material costs increased 11% to £14.3m from £12.8m, whilst staff costs marginally rose to £11.4m from £11.1m. Pre-tax profit resulted at £737,104, down from £1.4m recorded last year. Stated within its report, the company said that turnover growth has slowed from 21% to the above figure due to changes to the affordable social housing market sector. Due to the market downturn, Rixonway has invested ‘heavily’ in a new brand of products to ‘penetrate’ the private developer market. The added product range has interrupted its delivery performance, dropping from 99.9% to 90.2% during the year. Part of the Nobia Group, Rixonway has been manufacturing kitchens since 1978 and operates out of its 177,000sq ft factory in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
w www.rixonway.co.uk
Fashion and homewares retailer Next has reported a growth in sales during its third quarter although stores continued to suffer.
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According to its latest trading update to 27 October 2018, full price sales were up by 2% on last year, with year-to-date sales growing by 3.7%.
Trio open in Plymouth
Retail store sales were down by 8% in the period (-6.3% to the year-to-date), whilst online sales continued to grow double-digit, up by 12.7% in Q3.
A new retail park in Plymouth has seen the opening of its first major home furnishing retailers.
Next said that performance was in line with expectations with the retailer maintaining its full year sales and profit guidance of 3% growth and pre-tax profit of £727m respectively.
Sofa retail specialist Sofology recently opened the doors to its new 20,000sq ft store on the Gateway Retail Park, marking its debut presence in the South West region. Kitchen specialist Wren and floorcoverings retailer Tapi Carpets will both launch in time for the Christmas trading period.
w www.next.co.uk
w www.sofology.co.uk 9th November 2018 | 21
F E A T U R E |C I M C H o M E
Sales director Mehmood Pirbhai brings the world of fashion into the home as the latest CIMC trends are revealed. With the holidays right around the corner, who isn’t busy prepping their stores with the latest trending furniture for one of the busiest times of the year?
explore the season looks that will play a huge role in how you’ll be transforming your offerings to your customers. Luxe has been around for years now, with each year taking glamour to new heights. Not going anywhere anytime soon, this trend is all about luxurious fabrics and materials including velvets, chrome and marble. Luxe and CIMC go hand in hand and entertaining this winter could not get anymore glamourous with their new Florence premium dining range. This range features a curved
chrome base with a stunning grey marble table top. You can complete the dining set with the impressive tufted buttoned velvet chairs available in an assortment of vibrant colours, this truly breathes luxury and is surely a set for those looking to come up on top in hosting this festive season. Dedicated to catering to all types of industries including retailers, internet stores, interior designers, hotels, restaurants and many more, CIMC Home design all their fashion forward products with all of their customers in mind and at the same time aim
In the ever-changing fashion world, keeping up with the latest trends can seem a daunting task, however this isn’t a problem for CIMC Home – one of the global market’s favourite wholesale suppliers. They’ll do the hard work for you and continually bring you the very latest trending seasonal furniture, lighting, giftware and home accessories at excellent prices and exceptional quality. At the centre of every home is the dining/ living room – designed for more than just eating, these rooms take centre stage for family gatherings, parties and events. Getting the look right isn’t an easy task. Every pick from lighting to wall colour will be carefully considered therefore you’ll want to offer your customers a range of products in different colours, material and style combinations to ensure that it suits their style credentials. Studying the trends extensively, CIMC 9th November 2018 | 22
Manhattan Manhattan
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to keep the costs down, this means offering quality products at exceptional value for money. The successful launch of the ‘value’ range has been met with open arms, this has meant that CIMC have been able to go from offering just value lighting and gifts to now offering full furniture ranges including dining, bedroom and lounge collections. This Autumn CIMC launched the Nova and Astrid value dining ranges. A simple chrome cross frame and toughened glass table top brings a contemporary look to any décor, functional and effective, the glass top instils the illusion of space. With a range of sizes and colours available, the options at CIMC are endless. Trends this winter have taken great influence from global inspired patterns and colours. Whilst grey is still the dominating choice over neutrals, soft muted shades such as blush pink and canvas white offer a softer edge to darker winter days. CIMC Home’s new furniture collections combine wonderfully well with this colour palette especially the Grey Manhattan range. Featuring grey glass panelled furniture with clear mirror surrounds and crystal handles, this incredibly versatile furniture collection can be layered with
Astrid the amazing products they have on offer including their brand new metal and glass dining and bedroom furniture ranges, seating and storage stools.
Florence different textures including lighting, cushions and throws, perfect for those after a ‘lagom’ lifestyle. Lagom – the Swedish term for ‘just the right amount’ is all about the perfect balance and this is incorporated in all aspects of daily life including our home décor. Global inspiration is huge this winter therefore the latest range CIMC have designed to coincide with the ‘Global Nomadic’ trend is the brand new Sahara furniture range. Celebrating patterns, this luxurious mirrored range features an etched quatrefoil design, silver trims and glamourous crystal handles. This elegant and beautiful new range is set to arrive in the new year and you can be one of the first to view the Sahara range and other new exclusive furniture designs at the January Furniture Show 2019. You can visit CIMC at the NEC Birmingham from the 20th – 23rd January 2019 in Hall 3 Stands 3-E20, 3-E24, 3-E15, 3-F15, 3-F17, 3-F18, 3-F2. If you can’t wait till then, how about checking out their website to view all
While the trade shows are a mix of excitement and busyness for both exhibitors and visitors, for Spring Fair 2019, CIMC Home will not be exhibiting this time round but for all the right reasons. Quoted by CIMC ‘for over 20 years we have loved exhibiting our fabulous product ranges at the Spring Fair, however as our
company grows and develops more into the furniture industry we are now directing our focus towards the furniture shows such as the January Furniture Show who now have increased their interior exhibitors and have introduced a new lighting section. This in turn has allowed us a bigger exposure within the industry and has enabled us to meet with new and our valued existing customers’. However don’t let this news sadden you as CIMC will be launching all their new products from their Leicester based showroom opening on the 3rd January 2019. You can call and book your showroom appointment today on 0116 287 5288 option 5, or visit the CIMC Home website at www.cimchome.com to start exploring.
w www.cimchome.com
Pouffes 9th November 2018 | 23
F E A T U R E |W o o D L A N D H E R I T A G E
Featuring the best of British, both timber and design, Cabinet Maker speaks to Woodland Heritage about its support for the Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design exhibition.
Beneath The Bark - Corvus Chest of Drawers
Woodland Heritage was established as a charity by two cabinet makers keen to ‘put something back’. They were very conscious that the timber they relied upon for their products existed only thanks to the foresight of previous generations, placing a responsibility on them to help create and nurture the woodland resource that their successors would need. This focus for the charity on replenishment of timber stocks has always been matched by a keen interest in recognising the skills of furniture (and other) makers, both in terms of rewarding talent where possible and at the same time bringing its worth to the public’s attention. Bringing those two aims together perfectly for many years now has been Woodland Heritage’s sponsorship of the Best Use of British Timber Awards at the Celebration 9th November 2018 | 24
of Craftsmanship & Design exhibition held annually in Cheltenham, with the most recent event taking place from 18th to 27th August 2018. Heralded as ‘the UK’s largest exhibition of contemporary, bespoke designer-maker furniture’, Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design (like Woodland Heritage) is looking forward to its 25th anniversary next summer, having brought to the fore the work of so many talented craftspeople since its inception in 1995. As well as Woodland Heritage’s award, in the realm of furniture making at the exhibition there is The Furniture Makers’ Company Design Award, the ‘CCD Visitor Prize Award’ sponsored by Peter Sefton Furniture School and The Alan Peters Award for Excellence, specifically aimed at encouraging and supporting the next generation of furniture
designer-makers at the start of their fledgling careers. Woodland Heritage’s ‘Best use of British Timber’ award looks to promote the use of local resources to produce pieces that have added meaning beyond their basic function. It is an exciting prospect for many people to have a piece that has been conceived, designed and made locally by an artisan. Part of the reason for this is that one can speak to the designer-maker in person and understand their inspiration and the stories behind the piece. To be able to extend this understanding further with the origin and history of the timber, sometimes down to its precise location as a tree, will inevitably therefore serve to add to a client’s enthusiasm and emotional attachment to their purchase. The use of local materials has obvious
f o r F ull st o ries and dail y news u p dates : W W W . C a b i n e t - m a k e r . c o . u k
benefits for the designer-maker’s local economy and environment. The proper felling, processing and drying of wood are skilled trades that are important to preserve to ensure the continued effective management of the woodlands, forests and landscapes that we all enjoy. By using local materials in bespoke work, exhibitors at Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design are ensuring that it is used beautifully, in an item that will be cherished and kept for generations. The award is open to all exhibitors (over 70 this year) and judged by a panel during the show, with the criteria including design, species selection, use of timber, craftsmanship and provenance of the wood used; points are awarded to entrants who go out of their way to source timber locally and/ or find out where their timber comes from. After much careful deliberation, this year’s winner of The Woodland Heritage ‘Best Use of British Timber Award’ went to ‘Grace’ Circular Table by Daniel Harrison Furniture of West Glamorgan and about which the Judges said: “This beautiful circular table stood out immediately. The figure on the top is just stunning to look at and also to feel – very tactile. The unusual fluted underframe demonstrates great Craftsmanship & Design. It seems fitting to have ‘Ash’ standing out at this point in time when we are losing so many of our native Ash trees to Chalara.” Ash is Daniel’s favourite timber and as such he wanted to show as many varieties within this piece as possible - Olive ash for the top, ripple ash for the base and the use of laminated native Welsh ash for the spokes of the base structure. Daniel commented
that: “With the onset of Chalara (ash dieback) I thought it important to raise awareness and celebrate one of our finest native tree species.” The Ash used for this project was sourced from Andrew Williams (A W Hardwoods LTD) within a ten-mile radius of his sawmill in Swansea, South Wales, just down the road from Daniel’s workshop. The wood was air dried then second seasoned slowly in Andrew’s heated drying shed. Most of the wood Andrew has at his mill is locally sourced and many of the trees have been personally felled and converted by himself. He has deep knowledge and understanding of trees and is especially keen to promote our native woods. The table base is inspired by the sweeping curves of a gramophone horn and was challenging to construct due to its narrow centre that caused the components to be quite thin. Lamination and tongue and groove construction ensure that a strong and functional base was created that is extremely elegant and visually pleasing.
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This is a great combination as Tom often gets first sight of any logs that come into the yard that are too characterful in their grain for commercial products such as structural beams and are therefore more suited to furniture. This is the case with this chest of elm drawers where the timber has been utilised beautifully to enhance a very functional piece. The two winning entries both used timber that due to disease is either currently hard to source in the UK (elm), or is likely to become increasingly so (ash), highlighting the value of Woodland Heritage’s continuing drive to nurture the UK timber stocks of tomorrow for the furniture making industry. More details about next year’s exhibition will be announced shortly on www. celebrationofcraftsmanship.com.
w www.woodlandheritage.org
Highly commended in the Award was ‘Corvus’ by Beneath the Bark, about which the Judges said: “A curvy version of a classic chest of drawers. The use of Burr Elm (Scottish) on the draw fronts is very dramatic. Elm is a beautiful timber and its natural beauty has been exhibited by this piece – even the back has a dramatic grain.” Tom Jones, of Beneath the Bark, combines making furniture with working for a commercial timber yard in rural Suffolk.
“ I t is an exciting prospect for many people to have a piece that has been conceived, designed and made locally by an artisan.” 2018 Winner Daniel Harrison’s Grace Table 9th November 2018 | 25
F E A T U R E |B A T H B E S p o K E
Tom Jones Marquez and James Etheridge, co-founders of Bath Bespoke, sit in the Cabinet Maker Q&A hot seat and discuss the year so far with an outlook on what to expect in 2019. how has business been so far this year? This year has been really successful so far. We’ve completed several large renovation projects in listed homes across the South West UK, including new bespoke kitchens, and bespoke furniture. We’re also currently working on several exciting joinery projects. One in particular is a new eco build, developed from scratch, and we’re creating the windows and joinery from some very beautiful brown oak, sourced from their estate. We’re continuing to work with our existing partners and have taken on several new clients. Due to the nature of our business, handcrafting bespoke interiors and joinery, every project has its challenges. But our team work closely together and this allows any problems or issues in house to be resolved relatively quickly. It can be hard when a client changes their mind at the last minute, but we try to accommodate as much as possible as we want everyone to be happy with the end result.
bespoke interior projects and joinery for both private and professional clients. Our workshop is based in Winsley on Hartley Farm and one of the reasons we moved into these premises was because of the solar panels already in place. When we created the company, we wanted to create furniture that was not only beautifully handmade but that was also sustainable. Leading a sustainable, eco-friendly business was important to us from the get go and this mindset has influenced many of our decisions throughout the years. From timber sourcing, what suppliers we work with, waste management and also the products we use. The majority of the electricity needed for our lights and machines comes from the solar panels and this means we’re not reliant on fossil fuelled alternatives. This is great for us in the long term- for our profits and for our carbon footprint. Sustainability is also becoming really important for our clients so it’s great to be able to show them how we work.
what’s the Bath Bespoke story?
In keeping with sustainability, what other areas in the business are important to this ethos?
Bath Bespoke was founded in 2011. We specialise in designing, crafting and fitting
All of the timber we use is FSC approved and we work with a local timber supplier who is
9th November 2018 | 26
heavily involved in schemes (national and global) that promote safe and sustainable forest management. A few years ago we also installed a WT10 wood burner in the workshop which enables us to burn our wood waste and convert it into heat energy. This energy is then used to heat our workshop in the cold winter months. Our WT10, which was made in the UK, is fully compliant with the clean air act without an oil or gas afterburner and dramatically reduces our environmental footprint. We recycle all of our other waste at a local facility, have cut single use plastics and try to be as paper-free as possible in the workshop and office. On top of that, our waste sawdust actually goes to make the bedding for the cows at the neighbouring farm. So everything really does get re-used or recycled. Leading a sustainable and eco-friendly business is really important for us. Not just for our own satisfaction, but also for the global necessity. how would you describe the current market? Exciting and dynamic. Interior design has never been more popular and home owners are becoming more aware of what they like and dislike in their home. We also work with
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Bath Bespoke launched in 2011
professionals, architects and designers, who are pushing the boundaries of design and both scenarios make for some really interesting discussions and really original creations. what category of the business is currently delivering the most growth? Our work varies throughout the year. Around spring time, we get a lot of enquiries about our sash window service, while in autumn it tends to be more bespoke furniture enquiries. Are there any current issues of concern within the industry that you feel need improving? We’d love to see more businesses following suit and putting an emphasis on sustainable practises. It’s important both for the longevity of the business and the longevity of our environment.
Looking ahead, what’s next for the company? We’re working on expanding our flooring service and hoping to launch a showroom displaying some of our flooring options. We’re still in the process of developing the showroom, some development but not extensive. We’re hoping to have it open early 2019. And finally, what would you say are the keys to success? Bath Bespoke was founded on the mindset of creating beautifully handmade furniture, in an eco-friendly way. This mindset hasn’t changed. While we do use traditional methods of manufacturing, we also keep at the forefront of design so that we can offer our clients a truly bespoke service.
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“WE’D LovE To SEE MoRE BUSINESSES FoLLoWING SUIT AND pUTTING AN EMpHASIS oN SUSTAINABLE pRACTISES. IT’S IMpoRTANT BoTH FoR THE LoNGEvITy oF THE BUSINESS AND THE LoNGEvITy oF oUR ENvIRoNMENT.”
Sustainability is key
w www.bathbespoke.co.uk A new showroom is planned for 2019 9th November 2018 | 27
An award for excellence in British design Judging panel - Furniture Simon Alderson - twentytwentyone Helen Berresford - ID:SR Joanna Biggs - GA Design Elliott Koehler - Layer Design Jeremy Myerson - Royal College of Art Tom Pearce - Farrah & Pearce Campbell Thompson - The Conran Shop Terence Woodgate - Studio Woodgate
Judging panel - 2D Linzi Coppick - Forme UK Daniel Hopwood - Hopwood Design Studios Prof Clare Johnston - Royal College of Art Natasha Marshall - Natasha Marshall Corinne Pringle - tp bennett Peter Thwaites - Rapture & Wright
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Now accepting applications for: - Furniture - 2D (textiles, wall coverings, surfaces,
carpets and floor coverings)
Submission deadlines: Early bird: 29th November 2018 Final: 24th January 2019 Apply now: www.designguildmark.org.uk
Famiglia by PearsonLloyd, Awarded DGM 206 in 2018
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WE CAN HELP YOU
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The Furniture Makers’ Company has been supporting the welfare of employees in the interiors and furnishing industry for more than 100 years. If you or someone you know is in need of financial support, let us help. Visit our website www.furnituremakers.org.uk/assistance or contact 020 7256 5558
This advertising space was generously donated by Cabinet Maker magazine in support of The Furniture Makers’ Company’s welfare campaign. The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers’ Charitable Funds incorporating the Furnishing Trades Benevolent Association is a registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1015519) and a registered company (no. 02759359) in England and Wales
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9th November 2018 | 29 12/10/2017 15:12
LAST WORD DAVID JINKS MILT, PARCELHERO’S HEAD OF CONSUMER RESEARCH
“WE BELIEvE MoRE SUppoRT FoR THE HIGH STREET IN TERMS oF A RADICAL REvISIoN oF BUSINESS RATES, AND A BRExIT DEAL AS CLoSELy ALIGNED WITH THE EU CUSToMS UNIoN AS poSSIBLE, ARE ESSENTIAL To HELp BRITISH RETAIL WEATHER THE oNCoMING SToRMS.” APROPA KAYMED BREASLEY
We welcome Chancellor Hammond’s budget announcement that he will cut business rates by a third for all High Street retailers in England with a rateable value of £51,000 or less, and that he will not be introducing a rumoured online sales tax on goods bought online. However, we warn the claims of Hammond’s budget dividends will not be impacted by a hard Brexit do not ring true. A no-deal Brexit could impact on today’s announcements, no matter how loudly the Government shouts all the spending increases will all take place ‘irrespective of Brexit’. There would be no need to announce potentially upgrading the Spring statement into a new hard-Brexit budget if it were really to have no impact on spending plans. There is a lot for retailers and consumers to applaud in the budget; but speaking as a business at the coalface of customs borders, we believe the new tariffs and delays a nodeal Brexit would create would make today’s announcements unsustainable. There are lots we applaud in this budget. For example, the continued cut in fuel duties and new £420m pothole funding will all help to keep delivery prices down; potholes are a continual scourge for couriers delivering in urban areas. And of course, in our recent report, Death of the High Street, we warned business rates will have to be cut to save High Street stores embattled by the growth of e-commerce. We believe that the short-term relief on High Street business rates is vital to secure its future; but should be guaranteed to continue
instead of being subject to new value adjustments in 2021. On the subject of the new digital services tax; providing the tax really will only be paid by profitable international firms that have at least £500m a year in global revenues, and is not changed into a stealth online sales tax in the future, it is to be welcomed. We have often said we do not believe an all-out online sales tax would help the High Street, but instead harm those retailers who have embraced the future and adopted a multi-channel High Street and e-commerce approach. Don’t forget the likes of John Lewis appeal to store visitors and online buyers alike. The Chancellor must promise that the new digital services tax will not morph into an online sales tax in the future. As a business managing retail and home deliveries our industry is an accurate bellwether of the nation’s economy. We believe more support for the High Street in terms of a radical revision of business rates, and a Brexit deal as closely aligned with the EU Customs Union as possible, are essential to help British retail weather the oncoming storms.
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Source new products, discover fresh trends, and meet 100s of suppliers at the UK’s biggest furniture show. Make yourself at home at the industry event of the year.
Register now at januaryfurnitureshow.com